(William
Charlton-Perkins. Pic by Clinton Marius)
Tenor de nos jours
The star of Mexican tenor Javier Camarena
has been on the ascendant over the past decade. Combining an arsenal of supreme
vocal attributes, including a gleaming instrument of rare tonal beauty, even
throughout its compass, replete with ringing high notes, and a dazzlingly
accomplished coloratura facility, Camarena’s presence now dominates the
international circuit - as was evidenced a while back by the ultimate accolade
of encoring his Act 1 aria from Don
Pasquale on the stage of New York’s Metropolitan Opera.
(Javier
Camarena)
With his sensational debut CD recital on
Decca, Camarena crowns his professional collaboration with superstar mezzo,
Cecilia Bartoli - which has included critically lauded DVD releases from the
Zurich Opera of Rossini’s Le Comte Ory
and Otello in recent seasons. The
high regard which the Italian diva accords the tenor is evident in virtually
every aspect of this release, conceived as a celebration of the legendary
Spanish tenor, composer and impresario, Manuel Garcia (1775 – 1832), the
original Comte Almaviva in Il Barbiere di
Siviglia.
The collection features five remarkable
items by García himself, including three world premiere recordings, alongside
items by Rossini and Zingarelli. For the programme’s centre-piece, Camarena is
joined by Bartoli herself in the ravishing duet, ‘Amor.. Possente nome!’ from
Rossini’s Armida.
The heart-stopping beauty of their singing
here makes one long for a complete recording. Another highpoint is the
exhilarating ease and fearless élan with which Camarena dispatches the final
item, the fiendishly taxing aria and cabaletta, ‘S’ella mi é ognor fedele –
Qual sara mai la gioia’ from Rossini’s Ricciardo
e Zoraide. Released as part of the 30th anniversary of Bartoli’s
relationship with Decca, Contrabandista makes a fine companion to Maria,
Bartoli’s own tribute to Garcia’s iconic mezzo soprano daughter, Maria Malibran
(1808 – 1836), issued a decade ago to mark her 20th anniversary with the label.
- William Charlton-Perkins
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